Fireproof door.



l. illustrative purposes merely.

` UNITED STATES Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT E ETQE.

FIREPROOF DOOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters '.Eatent No. l7{" 8,316, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed I une 5, 1903. Serial No, 160,159. (No model.) i

I To a/ZZ whom t 11i/ty concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRANK A. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Queens, in the city vof New York, county of-Queens, State of New York,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Doors, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in that class of iireproof doors having an interior core or lling of wood and an exterior covering of sheet metal entirely concealing the wooden frame or core, the object being to produce a metallic door which will be strong and serviceable for various kinds of buildings and other structures; and the invention consists, essentially, in the novel construction and `arrangements of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of one corner of a door built in accordance with my present improvement. Fig. 2 is a horizontal detail section showing the manner of joining the edges of the metallic sheets,

the same being represented as the parts appear before the joint is finished. Fig.3 is a similar detail horizontal view showing the joint completed. Fig. 4c is a sectional view representing a modification of the invention, the joint being in the process of being connected; and Fig. 5 is a similar section showing the modified joint finished. A

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the different figures.

1 denotes an example of door given for Said door is preferably a wooden frame which is provided on opposite sides with continuous sheet-metal sections 2 and 3, forming the entire surfaces of the sides of the door, the design of panels or other figures being pressed into the metal Ain such a Way as to produce' any desired configuration, shape, or ornamentation for the door. These metallic plates 2- and 3 may be of greater or less thickness and may be applied to the core 1 in any manner. The vertical edge 20 of the core or frame l is overlapped by the sheet-metalsections 2 and 3, the edges of said sections being bent over the edge of the door, as shown in Fig. 2, and then said edges being reversely bent to form the flanges 5 and 5, In the construction of the door one or several edges may beI arranged in this way, and although the remark applies primarily to the vertical edge I am not restricted thereto, neither am I confined to any particular part or edge of the door, but can make a joint between two sheet-metal covering-plates at any point in a lireproof door, accordingly as I shall now describe, without varying from the invention.. The vertical edge 20 is preferably provided with a pair of parallel grooves 8 8.

In order to connect the anged and doubled edges of the sections 2 and 3, I utilize an independent connecting-strip I of thin sheet mctal,the longitudinal edges of said strip being bent over to form the angular edges 6 and 7. Said connecting-piece and its edges 6 and 7 are so'shaped and bent as that the reversely-bent edges 5 and 5 of sections 2 and 3 may be easily embraced, as shown in Fig. 2, in a sort of a dovetail fashion. Therefore in the process of uniting the edges of the sections 2 and 3 the parts will bebrought into therelative position shown in Fig. 2, Where the connecting-piece 4f engages the reversely-bent edges of the sections 2 and 3. After this has been done the parts so connected will be driven by means of a hammer 0r other suitable instrument against the edgeQO of the door and at the points where the greatest thickness comes-that is to say, where the doubled-over ends of the sections 2 and 3, the reversly-bent flanges 5 and 5, and the'connecting-strip 4C and its angular edges 6 and 7 by combining` together provide several thicknesses. At these points the grooves 8 8 are of great value in receiving said several thicknesses, as shown in Fig. 3, in order that the edge of the door may be smooth and neat and free from projecting parts. The interval between the grooves 8 8 is iiush with the rest of the door, because it is covered by only one thickness of metal and not by the several thicknesses that are seated in the grooves 8 8.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4L and 5 thc independent connectingstrip 4 is dispensed with. The opposite sides of the core or iiller are covered with continuous metallic sections 9 and 10, similar to the aforesaid sections 2 and 3, the edges of which sections 9 and 10 bend over the edge of the door, which latter has a single groove 11 instead of a pair of parallel grooves, and said bent-over edges of the sheets 9 and 1() are provided with the reverse-bends 12 and 13, which interlock with each other just opposite to thev groove 11, so that the several thicknesses at` this point may be embedded in the groove by the action of any tool or implement that may be used in driving the parts against the edge of the door. This form is of simple construction and can be easily made and Will be found to'be strong and serviceable.

After the joint isnished nails, screws, or othei` securing devices may be used on the edge of the door to morevtightly and effectually unite the parts, if desired, although in many cases they will be found unnecessary.

Although I have shown in the present specification and drawings one example in Which the inventive act may be embodied, yet it will be understood that the same may be departed and varied from in many ways without going outside of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lireproof door, the combination with a core or filler, of sheet-metal sections covering it, the contiguous edges of the sections being flanged, and an independent connecting-strip having iianged edges that engage the aforesaid flanged edges of the sections.

2. In aiireproof door, the combination With a core or Eller having a grooved edge, of a sheet-metal plate overlapping the grooved edge, and a separate metallic strip having Banged edges that engage the said overlapping edges; the Whole being united to form a smooth joint by the interlocking of the bent edges of the sections, the interlocking parts being seated in the groove of the edge.

3. Inaiireproof door, the combination with a core or filler havinga grooved edge, of sheetmetal plate covering the core and overlapping the edge, and an independent connecting metallic strip having iianged edges that engage the said overlapping edges, and are adapted to be seated in the groove of the edge of the core.

Signed at New York this 2d day of June, 1903.

FRANK A. HOVELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HAZELTON, A. E. SAMUELS. 

